NHL Report

Sidney Crosby extended his points streak to 23 games with a goal and an assist, and Pascal Dupuis scored the decisive goal in the seventh round of a shoot-out to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 3-2 victory over the host Washington Capitals on Thursday night in a Winter Classic preview.

Crosby, the NHL's leading scorer with 60 points on 29 goals and 31 assists in 36 games, has the NHL's longest points streak since 1992-93, when Quebec's Mats Sundin had a 30-game run.

Chris Kunitz also scored to help the Penguins win their third straight and 15th in 17 games.

Dupuis converted a wrister from the inside edge of the right circle, ending the shoot-out after Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury used his skate to block Mike Green's drive at the right post for his sixth straight save.

Green and Mike Knuble scored in regulation for the Capitals, who had a two-game winning streak snapped.

Elsewhere: Daniel Sedin had a goal and two assists, and Henrik Sedin had a goal and three assists as the Vancouver Canucks routed the host Columbus Blue Jackets, 7-3. . . . Jason Garrison's third-period goal snapped a tie and gave the Florida Panthers a 4-3 win over the host Buffalo Sabres. . . . Shawn Thornton scored twice and reached his career high with seven goals this season and the Boston Bruins beat the visiting Atlanta Thrashers, 4-1. . . . Alexandre Picard's goal in the second period gave the visiting Montreal Canadiens a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. . . . Josh Bailey had two goals and an assist and the New York Islanders spoiled the return of Jacques Lemaire behind New Jersey's bench with a 5-1 victory over the host Devils. . . . Visiting Tampa Bay scored three goals to New York's two in a shoot-out to beat the Rangers, 4-3. . . . Matt D'Agostini's second-period goal snapped a 3-3 tie and the St. Louis Blues held on to edge the visiting Detroit Red Wings, 4-3.

Facing the prospect of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1997, the New Jersey Devils fired rookie coach John MacLean on Thursday and brought back the firm hand of Jacques Lemaire to try to salvage the season. The Devils have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NHL this season. New Jersey has the fewest points in the league with 20 in 34 games (9-23-2). Their 60 goals also are the fewest. Lemaire, 65, led the team to its first Stanley Cup title in 1995 and returned for a second stint last season before retiring. - Associated Press